I run an almost totally standard MkIII Sprite. The only exception is
a set of extractors.
It has the most popular of period enhancements - iron oxide - in
all the factory designed places.
It runs at standard height, no sway bar even.
Then again I have a racecar and my rally bugeye to go fast in...
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: Angela Hervey-Tennyson & Peter Westcott <toobmany@bigpond.com>
To: spridgets@autox.team.net <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Wednesday, 28 April 1999 21:20
Subject: Re: Inquiring Minds Want To Know
>Two cars -
>1/ standard spec MkII with following diversions; rib case gearbox(for
>better ratios and reversing light switch), 1275 clutch (std slips in
>competition), 4.5" rostyles (strength), 4.55:1 diff (for climbing hills),
>extractors (came with the car), specially made high strength axles, 1.5"
>lowered, 1.5 degrees neg camber, front discs and 8" rear drums (period
>mods), tandem master cylinder from a late Midget (comp regs), electric fuel
>pump with cutout switch (period mod), Halda and stopwatch. This is
>Angela's everyday transport which I lightly modified for Targa Tasmania and
>got second in class to a Mini which was built to win. The only trouble we
>have is fuel vaporisation in heavy traffic.
>
>2/ standard MkI with following diversions; rib case gearbox (see above), 8"
>front brakes with finned aloy drums (period mod), Mk4 exhaust manifold (too
>many broken flanges), 1275 clutch (see above), Halda and stopwatch,
>voltmeter, uprated cable drive dynamo and control box, Morris Minor fuel
>pump (period mod), 4.55:1 diff (see above). This isn't a daily driver but
>I use it on rallies (it's the sideways dirty one with the fastback hardtop
>in the screensaver) and other comp events as well as touring. The only
>trouble is a dicky needle and seat in one of the carbs. This 80,000 mile
>car was found in a carport where it'd been stored under a tarp for twenty
>years. The only thing missing was the original horn which used to perish
>quickly anyway. It still retains things like the heatshield for the fuel
>pump and all the boot trim. Some of this has been put into storage to
>prevent damage.
>
>The only 'modern' things I use on both cars are Hylomar sealant (developed
>in the 60's anyway) and synthetic oils in engine, gearbox and diff. And
>both cars have had an extra standard fuse box added. The MkI has no engine
>mods (it's still got original size bores, pistons and crank) and the MkII
>is up to 997 Cooper spec.
>
>It might seem they're not 'standard' standard but I tried to build them as
>they would have been in their heydays. The events I do are generally
>endurance events (and Donald Healy was expert at this kind of thing) so the
>cars have to be reliable and easy to drive over long distances.
>
>Peter Westcott
>----------
>From: TYPE79@ix.netcom.com
>To: spridgets@autox.team.net
>Subject: Inquiring Minds Want To Know
>Date: Wednesday, 28 April 1999 16:07
>
>Yo,
>(That's Philly Talk). With all due respect to those owners that constantly
>seek to modify and improve their Sprites for daily use, are there any
>owners "lurking" out there that maintain their cars as they were run in
>"their day"?
>
>How are you owners coping without extra fuses, without Permatex, without
>dual-line braking systems, etc. etc. etc. etc.?
>
>Are you still running SU's on a stock manifold? An Austin ribcase on a 1275
>or an Austin smoothcase on a 948?
>
>What are your experiences with the "factory issue"?
>
>Are you running in the pink? I know I am?
>
>Again, please don't take this as a slight on mods, mods are great, but what
>about the plain vanilla users?
>
>Jay Fishbein
>Mk 1/2 Bugeye
>Mk 2 aka HAN-6
>Innocenti-S (It's in your Sprite books, look it up.)
>
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